Hope - Lesley Pearse [175]
Sadly, that was a lost cause. Amy had explained that with only buckets of water and the strong wind whipping the flames, their efforts were wasted. She said the house was razed to the ground, that by morning even the walls had caved in.
Constables were out searching for Albert. It was thought he might have seen Matt coming out of the burning house with Baines and Lady Harvey and run off in a panic. Matt said that the whole county had been alerted now and he didn’t think it would be long before he was caught.
Anne wasn’t sure she even wanted him caught. It wouldn’t bring back William or rebuild Briargate, but it would give Albert an opportunity to expose both her and William at his trial. It was bad enough to deal with widowhood, the loss of her home and all her worldly goods – she didn’t need scandal too.
She smarted with shame as she remembered how she’d often wished for William’s death in the past, just so she could be with Angus! How could she have been so wicked?
But she’d got her punishment now. In truth, she would rather have died in the fire with William than have to face Rufus. Amy and Matt might believe there was nothing more to this than Albert taking revenge because he’d been dismissed. But Rufus was sharp-witted and perceptive, he’d know something else lay behind it, and he’d probe, poke and ask questions until he got the right answers.
A tap on the door made Anne look round. ‘Come in,’ she said wearily, expecting that it was Amy again with yet more food she couldn’t eat.
The door opened, and out of politeness Anne tried to force a grateful smile. But it wasn’t Amy in the doorway, it was Nell.
Anne gasped involuntarily, not only because she hadn’t expected Nell to call, not after six years of estrangement, but because she looked like a well-to-do housewife, not a servant. She was thinner than Anne remembered and far more attractive; her midnight-blue dress and matching bonnet gave her somewhat sallow face a real glow, and the hair visible beneath her bonnet was still raven-black.
‘I’m sorry if I startled you, m’lady, but I had to come.’ Nell’s voice quivered with nervousness. ‘I know I’ve always said how wicked Albert is, but I didn’t think he’d ever hurt you and Sir William. I’m so very sorry, m’lady.’
Anne began to cry, not so much because of her former maid’s words but for all the memories her face brought back. ‘You don’t need to apologize for Albert,’ she sobbed. ‘If we’d taken more notice of what you’d said about him years ago, this wouldn’t have happened.’
‘There, there.’ Nell was by her side immediately, stroking Anne’s forehead comfortingly, just the way she always used to. ‘Don’t you blame yourself now, we’ve got to get you well again.’
‘I’m not sick, Nell,’ Anne said, clutching her hand in both of hers and pressing it to her lips. ‘At least, not in body, only in the heart. I’m so glad you came.’
Anne knew Nell to be ten years younger than herself, which would make her thirty-eight now, but it was something of a shock to see her looking far younger than she ever had while she was at Briargate. An uncharitable thought sprang into her mind that this could be because she’d become Angus’s mistress.
‘You’ve had a terrible shock,’ Nell said, sitting beside her on the narrowbed. ‘I know what that does to a body. But we must get you somewhere more fitting for a lady of quality. You’ll recover quicker where you feel more at home.’
Anne felt shamed that she’d allowed herself to jump to the wrong conclusion. Sweet, loyal Nell had in fact come to take her to Angus’s house!
‘Dear Nell,’ she sighed. ‘You always did have the ability to instinctively know what I wanted or needed. But I really don’t deserve your understanding.’
‘I slept in this very room myself for a time and I know how noisy it can be,’ Nell said with a fond smile. ‘You’ll get some peace at Wick Farm. Mrs Warren is getting a room prepared for you. She sent some clothes for you too; she said to tell you that you are more than welcome.’
Anne felt as though a rug had been pulled from beneath her feet. ‘Howkind of her,